What is the marine park?

Introduction

The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park was established in 2000, and protects the natural and historic features of the Hauraki Gulf.

In this section

Hauraki Gulf Marine Park logo.
Hauraki Gulf Marine Park logo

To protect the big blue backyard of the Auckland and Waikato regions and stop its decline, legislation established the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park/Ko te Pataka kai o Tikapa Moana Te Moananui a Toi in February 2000.

The Gulf has plants and wildlife found nowhere else in the world and historic sites of national and global importance. So this legislation helped face the challenges of protecting the Gulf’s wildlife and sites and helped improve their habitat and environment. It also recognised the positive impact the Gulf has on residents and visitors and the relationship of tangata whenua with Tīkapa Moana, Te Moananui-ā-Toi.

What did the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act 2000 enact?

The Act established objectives for the Gulf, its islands and catchments, and aims to achieve integrated management across land and sea. This ensures the effects of urban and rural land use on the Gulf are given proper attention and the life-supporting capacity of the Gulf is protected.

The Act also provided an integrated management approach to the Gulf across 21 statutes, including the Resource Management Act, Conservation Act and Fisheries Act. To support this work, the Act also established the Hauraki Gulf Forum.

Hauraki Gulf Forum

The Forum was established alongside the Marine Park to better integrate management by the local and central government, facilitate coordination, and recognise the special relationship tangata whenua have with the Gulf.

Forum members include representatives of:

  • local authorities adjoining the Gulf or its catchments,
  • the Ministers of Conservation, Fisheries and Māori Development
  • iwi and hāpu.

The Act requires the Forum to produce a 'State of the Environment Report' every three years.

Our work to support the Gulf

Sea Change - Tai Timu Tai Pari project is a project between DOC and MPI to develop a marine spatial plan for the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. It aims to improve the health of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park for future generations. 

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